The Sun. — London, England, 1818-04-03 00:00:00

CATIIOLIC CLAIMS. The varintis al-ticks which have 'appeared or this subject, one of vital importance to OUP pre sent Establishment in Church and State, has, we find, attracted the particular attention of our Ec clesiastical Hotly to THs Su N, and we have received many communications from almost every part of the Kingdom on this subject. We say our present Establishment, from a full -conviction War, if the CATHOLIC CLAIMS were granted, that . Establishment, in due time, would cease to exist. A most valuable and respectable Correspondent, who feels and thinks as we do on the subject, has sent to us the following 40 ESTI ON S and unless they receive the most satis factory answers, we trust that no Legislator, of any rank or degree, will be so rash as to propose, or in any wanner to countenance, FURTHER CON CESSIONS to POPERY. EXTRACT from the PAPERS published iu By the PROTESTANT UNION. The Protestant ria iell having no party hostili ties to niaiutaiu,• nor partialities to gratify, are anxious that the questions relative to the Roma❑ Catholics should be fully understood, and that the course which is best adapted to the general bene fit of the country, and therefore most consisteßt with the safety of our Protestant State, should be pursued. To this end it appears necessary, that the ex ienl of the claims should be ascertained, as well us 'the present situation and principles of the claimants. If those claims and principles are not incow' patible with the safety of the State, or its civil and 'religious liberties, no prejudice can arise to the claimants from their full developetnent ; but a great advantage would result to the country, be cause what it required might then be granted without any suspicion of latent evils ; and the jealousies and fears naturally springing up, where there is not a perfect assurance that the Roman CatholiCs maybe safely admitted to political power, ‘vould be effectually prevented. The Roman Catholic Church and its Members have been considered as hostile to 'the Protestant Establishment. if that hostility has ceased to exist, and Roman Catholics and Protestants are 'capable of that cordial co-operation, ‘vbich, in an equal participation'of power, is absolutely neces sary for the tranquillity and welfare of the whole .Empire, -the knowledge of this happy circum stance Would f;cilitate die - object of" the Inittan Catholics, and allay the apprehensions of the Protestants. At present there does not seem an agreement as to the - se and other facts important to this great question, and till they are settled the controversy mast be endless. The Protestant Union assume no right to cate chise the Board of the Catholics of England, or any individual Roman Catholic; but they think, that, waving the question of right to make these inquiries, the Romail ' Catholics. would consult the peace of the United Kingdom, as well as bespeak its confidence, if they would frankly and midi's guisedly answer those questions respecting the political or religious Tenets of the Church of Rome which are calculated to aEct - a Protestant State: the Protestant Union do not wish to im pute Tenets, hut to inquire into them, and, there fore, they will venture to ask those questions only which are relevant. The questions will refer to the English Roman Catholics alone, and will not be extended to the Irish Roman Catholics. FIRST—As to the present Situation of English Roman Catholics. I. Have not the English Roman Catholics full religious toleration, so that they can worship God agreeably to the dictates of their own con sciences ? Have not their Ministers full liberty to preach and to teach their own doctrines I—And are not such Ministers exempted from civil and military duties ?—Are not these benefits secured to them by the Statute 31. Geo. 3. pp. xxxii. ? 2. If the English Roman Catholics do not think that they have full liberty to use their own wor ship, and propagate their own tenets, they are re quested to state wherein that liberty is restricted ? and what specific Legislative Act would be a suffi- dent remedy ? NEXT—,/s to what the English Roman Catholics Claim. Question 1. Do they claim that Roman Catho lics shall be eligible to hold every office in the State, without restriction or limitation 2• If they do not, what offices will they be con tent to remain ineligible to fill ? 3. Do they claim to be eligible to boll the office of Commander-in-Chief of the Army ? Or Generals of the Staff ?—lf not, to what degree of rank do they claim to'be eligible ? 4. Do they claim to he eligible to fill the office of Lord High Admiral of England And of Ge neral of the Royal Marine Forces ? Or to wha degree of rank do they demand to be eligible in those services respectively ? 5. Do they, as Roman Catholics, claim, the right -to purchase Advowsons, or the right to pre sent to Ecelesiastical;Benefices . in the Church of Engl4'bil ? Do they claim hg eligibility to y possess the patrouNge - of - the Protest ant N4tics.naf Church of England and Scotland, respectively, to an extent (vial to that exercised by his Majesty's Pro:est ant subjects ? 6. Do they claim eligibility to sit in both Houses of the Imperial Parliament ? 7. Du they claim eligibility to fill all the highest offices in the departments at the law, -as well as those which are subordinate ? Do they claim an eligibility to be Sheriffs, Magi. , •trates, Justices of the Peace, and Members of all Corporations ? To be Judges of all our Courts ? And, more tspe cially,•to be Lord Chief Justice of Eugland, and Lord high Chancellor ? 8. It they do, do they demand to exercise all the patronage over the departm•mti of the law which is appended to these high offices ? And, particularly, do they demand to exercise, without limitation or control, the patronage possessed by the Lord High. Chancellory in presenting to Liv-. ings in the Church of England ? 9. Do they require to be eligible to sit in the Privy Council, and Cabinet, to be l'rime Minister to the King, and to hold all the highest offices of the State, whether in the household or else where ? If not, • they are requested to state the extent of the offices and patronage, which they claim to exercise. • 10. Do they demand, that, in case, at any fu ture period, the Crown should happen to descend to a Roman Catholic Prince, as licit., such Wo man Catholic should be eligible to ascend the Throne ? Or that a King of this realm should be at liberty to adopt the Roman 'Catholic Reli gion ? THIRDLY -48 to Religious' Liberty. Under this head, the Protestant Union wish to enquire, not so much what are the senti ments of a few individuds upon the highest of all earthly rights (those of Religious Li berty) but what the Church of Rome teaches, and allows her Members to exercise on this subject. Ro man Catholics submit themselves to her autho rity, and by that authority the great body of them will he governed. I . Does the Church of Rome recognize, or al low those under her authority to recognize, the absolute right of every matt to worship God after the dictates of his own conscience, and also the right of every man peaceably to promulgate the religious truths which he believes ? Does that Church recognize that right equally, wimp.: she is united with the State, as where she is..irsen tient from the religion of the State ? And,:parti cularly, ‘vouhl her present principles allow her to admit that right, if berg were the national reli gion of this country ? 2. Does the Church of Rome consider those who maintain this right, not only not obnoxious to Ciril penalties or disabilities, but not obnoxious to Ecclesiastical punishment If they be, or would be, subject to Ecclesiastical censure or punish- ment, what would be its nature and extent ? 3. lit what point of view does the Church of nue consider those who have never been iw her communion, or who, having been in her coin , muniou, have left it ? Are either of those 4e- SCI iptions of persons liable to any, mid what punishment or penalty, either civil or ecclesi astical ? 4. Does the Church of Rome allow, that ;that ever she may suppose the theological errors of the United Church of England and lrelarol may be, it is the undoubted right of the latter Church and her Ministers to exercise her own ritee,,- ce remonies, and worship, and to enjoy those bene fices for ever which her Clergy now possess ? 5. Does the Church of Rome admit, that what, ever she supposes may be the theological error s of the various classes of Dissenters, the Preshy-• terians; Independents, Baptists, Quakers, Me thodists, and other denominations of peaceable Christians of this country, they have an hide.' feisible right to follow the dictates of their con sciences, in worshipping God, and teaching .the religious tenets which they prolessedly hold FOURTHLY—As to the Tenets and Policy of .the Church of Rome. In the answers to the following questions, it is desireable that the acknowledged authorittfla which such answers are given may be quo,tittdi as the decrees and doctriues of the Church of Rome are in writing, it will not - create needless inconvenience to require a quotation of th 6 thority. The Board of Eng!kit Catholics, as well as the Protestant Union, must be convinced, that to prevent as much as possible the recurrence of any misrepresentation, the undisputed authorities from which, they collect the tenets and policy of the Church of Rome, should be mentioned, in or-, der that Protestants may he perfectly satisfied ,on those point s . Th e Ch urc h o f Rome will. no more be answerable for the private opinions and con duct of her Members, however respectable, or her Universities, however learned, than the Church of England can be answerable for her Members, whose conduct is contrary to the:to lerance of her declared principles. Therefore, the Protestant Union are anxious to know, ; from proper authority, what are the views of the Church of Rome, and not of a few of her Members, •liiDll , - ever respectable. 1. Are the principles of the Roman Catholics friendly to the perpetuatiug of the Crown in the Protestant Line ? Or would it not more consist with the policy of the Church of Rome that the Monarch of the British Empire should be a Ro- man Catholic ? And would it not be the duty of the Members of that Church to support a Ro 'man Catholic Succession, rather than a Protest ant Succession ? And would it not be within the policy of the Church of Rome, in any competi tion between a Protestant and Roman Catholic Pt ince, to endeavour to obtain an alteration of those Laws which guard the Protestant Ascen dancy? 2. ilow . :does it appear that the Roman Catho lic Religion is friendly or consonant either - to the ciyil or religions rights of Protesvits INCREASE OF THE POOR. .... 0 ...0 , ti ..2 . ' - 0 L .. Ca . .C . A n il y . r .. ' . 7. .. ..: ..1 . i .. . Z , --. — e) ~.. '"•••., .7.7. 00 SJ. , .7 Money raised .... ._ : ;--- , ro c= t ,:, z i ,l Expended I S 0 .., ~ ~,,.::;,, ch . in Law, &e. :: 2 › .`-". o 2 -, •• 0 ~. G ' or. ......, ..,, .... _ Other Pur- ~< tv ...., 1.1 GC , 0 ..... '.' . s.. = Ell 0 .... poses • Q , -• cn . >V. - .4 oo Ci vs up - Total c••••• ro ^ "" 4. r -1 0 > 1 ' "- c• Expenditure. c - ,-,„ Fs - a „.„, '7', y „, .-0 ~.. ..--- .I, c,., I I sc `' 8 ! 7 - 'l' •--. CI . * -3 = txi Z g "..4•• 5... ,•-• ;.., • . -ft = ~,, -i 'Z' t. 23 til Cl) co F e,l 7-- . c '' :t Q ';•°, ".- '7": ::-.; , , 0 _ ,_, „„7..•-:-..: ',J.- -„,,,- -... , rs, ....,, 0 co r••• ~ '":'.., ''' . .6. 74 ''....- 7 :: Iv 1 ." ItelitlVCd L 0 "1 ,- 1 'p :A I I occasionally. ---, '-' .------ Total E' -+) t•c' --) I I Relieved. I cb,..... ..... a. ,1 1 I F'riendly Societies z ..._ -- 4 ....a, P... z .8 ;., a , , I Population. EXPLANATION. The above Table is intended to shew in one view the pro portionate increte in the several years, 1776, 1783, and 1-603, compared with the abstract as taken in 1815, a period of nearly 40 years, and is thus explained, viz.:—The increase in the first Column, money raised, was in the proportion from the years 1776 to 1785, as 17 to 21; and from 1785 to 1803 in the proportionate increase from 21 to 53, and again from 1803 to 1815, in the proportion of 53 to 81, or nearly five times In the said period, doubling itself every 16 years. OBSERVATIONS. The expenditure for the maintenance of the Poor in that period does not appear to have increased in so great a propor tion, being only four times in the space of 40 years, conse quently doubling itself every 20 years. For law, removals, expellees of officers, &c. the increase was nearly eleven times in that period, doubling the first amount about every twelve years. The most rapid increase of expenditure was in " money expended for other purposes," under the heads of " Church Rate, Highway Rate, County Rate," being no less in 1815 than one fourth part of the whole money raised (although the amount of sums returned under those heads are far short of the truth) doubling itself more than four times since the year.l776 ; it must however be observed, that the great and general increase has taken place only since the year 1785 L but there not bring artythoilar,Ahstt art of - Retains from that year to 1503, a space of 18 years, it would be difficult to state in what precise year it commenced ; but the increased expen diture between 1803 and 1815, appears in each column to be nearly equal, with the exception of the " money for other purposes," which is greater than the others by one fourth. The increase of Paupers relieved between 1803 and 1815 was nearly one-third, and that of time Population of England and Wales from 1776 to 1815 was gradual, from about 71 millions to 10 millionsi being likewise an increase of yne third. It is necessary to observe, that the foregoing Abstract does not include the number of persons relieved, not being Po rirhioners, an account of whom was taken for the year ISOS, amounting to 194,000. This class of Poor must have contri buted very largely to the increase of the expenditure since that_period,from the natural _ operation of the War; in as sisting the Wives aad Families of the Military and Navy - to proceed to their different homes, particularly from the Me tropolis and different Sea-port Towns, including a great pro portion of the Natives of Ireland. From the Abstract, as printed in 1504, it appears that from the Returns made to the Tax.Otlice . for the year ending April, 1804, that the rental of real property in England and Wales amounted to 38 millions, and the summary of real property, as assessed to the Property Tax in the year 1815, amounted to neatly 52,000,030, being an increase of nearly one half in that period. The actual rate in the pound upon the property liable to assessment, averaged in the year 1804, 2s. lad. or nearly one seventh part, and the achial rate in the pound, during the years 1813, 14, and IS, averaged 3s. i id., being between a sixth and seventh part of the pound, or an increase of rather mordllan If per cent. It may also be worthy of observation, that although the average rate in the pound which the amount of real property in England paid to the levy of the Poor-rates, was 3s. 2d., nnat:ies bf North um b er l an d yet the rat e in the pound varied ktklvetlifferent (aunties f rom la. 7d. t o /i s . )40., theStrtl and Sdsiex . Tii - poinfout more clearly the great dispropor tion of the Rates of the different Counties, as at present levied, it is only necessary to observe, that three Counties, viz. Cumberland, Northumberland, and Westmoreland, Were rated under is.; eighteen Counties under 35., viz.—. Cambridge, Huntingdon, Salop, Chester, Lancaster, Somerset, ' Cornwall, Lincoln, Stafford, Derby, Middlesex, Worcester, Durham, Monmouth, E. Riding, Gloucester, Rutland, York, IN. Riding. Again,—Twelve Counties from 3s. and under 43., viz.:— Devon, Leicester, Surrey, Dorset, Norfolk, ' Warwick, Hereford, Northampton, Wilts, Hertford, Nottingham, York, W. Riding. And, that nine Counties were rated exceeding 45., viz.:— Bedford, Essex, Southampton, Berks, Kent, Suffolk, Bucks, Oxford, Sussex. (Signed) B. P. CAPPER, Appointed by his Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for 'the Home Department to make an Abstract of the Returns relative to the Expence and Maintenance of the Poor, under the Act of 55 Geu. W. cap. 47. ALL MUST BE DRAWN NEXT THURSDAY. TWO PRIZES OF .L. 30,000, 34 OTHER CAPITALS 01 L. 5,000, L. 1,000, &c. AND ABOVE 1,300 PRIZE S L.lOO, L. 50, &c. &c. * it * For Parliamentary Proceedings, see the Last Pagel THEATRICAL ItEGISTES/, PerZoancd Last Night. la : n t Af ter • THfATRE ROYAL, DRURVII.ANTE.--.-The•DOUble n 0....----' which, The Sleeping Draught'. , Ttobr svi THEATRE ROYAL,, CoVENT-GA RDEN.—(tentb time), — n o/ Macgregor: Francis Osbaldisto ne , M r . Si n clair; m ' Vernon, Miss Stephens. After which, Aladdin. _,% MAILS. ARRIVED-1 Gottenburgli. DUE—I Waterford, I CO' and Jersey, I Gottenburgb, 1 Lisbon. PRICE OF STOCKS • 1 THIS DAY AT TWELVE O'CLOCK. QS e .. 3 per Cent. Cons. BO iii I Exch. Bills, 2d,..175• I- spei• Cent. N. Ann 1064 iii Ditto, lid. 175. 80 , - India 80nd5.... 925. pr. Cons. fur Account.••• • - ----mirs.---- HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO.MOOI I- ow. 0 Morning, 38 minutes after 1. I Evening, 3 minutes atA THE SUN. 60LEM QUIS DICERE FALsUM AUDEAT LONDON, FRIDAY, APRIL 3 i 1818 We received this morning the Paris Pape rs Tuesday last. The Chambe r of D e puti e s on 14°u ; day were chiefly occupied w ith th e P ro j e t reg sf or ing arrest for debt, which was adopted—' l7l ll4 23. The discussion of the Budget stood 8s t next Order of the Day, but th e di nne r hour b at' ing arrived it was agreed to p os tp one the oPenifji i of the discussion on th e B u d get t ill Tuesday The following are extracts : Lai" 6 " PARIS, MARCH 31.--Yesterday M. Minister of the Interior, at the bead of the Meats bers comprising the B ur e a u o f t h e Chamber °f Deputies, had the honour to present to his 1441 jesty the Projet of Law respecting the Custotas' and that for the Abolition of the Slave Tr ades adopted in the sitting of the Chamber of the 271 0 t " The Cour-Royale yesterday, i n the case the Appeal of Scheffer, author of The Mate °f Liberty in France, changed the sentence of the c°l4. rectional Tribunal of one year's imprisoolu eil l ° and a fine of 5,000 francs, to fi ve y ea rs surv el lance, and security to the amount of 2,000 francs', declaring at the same time the s e i zu re of tba . work good and valid. ti • " We learn from M un i c h, th a t o f the •- ° i men who figured in the ceremony on Thursday the holy week of washing feet by the King Bavaria, one was 113 years of age, five 90, a ~ six .80. " A case has recently been tried by tile Tilt . ? nal of Correctional of. Bordeaux, acti ng out of the circumstance of three men crae"' wounding an old woman, on the pl ea o f ber be i " ,, a witch. The three men were sentenced to e ' ne month's imprisonment, and to pay t h e expenceE " FIVE PER CENTS. " Monday . 65 f. 90 C. " FRANK tORT, MARCH 27.--The 10( 0- t if Spain, Don Francis Paul, is about to quit Vie finil to return to Madrid. He embarks at Trieste . , " NAPLES, Mascia 12.—The earthquake 0 Sicily extended over the whole Island. At Pa' icrm - o only a slight shock was felt. Th e vj 5. lages of Bronte, Castiglione, Roccella-Vald'a et . and Milazzo, were considerably damaged. la an estate belonging to the Duke de Misierbiaae°l seven columns of water on a sudden spouted fr o m the earth, and in fifteen minutes as sudde"lY disc }I ' • tit appeared. At the same m omen t a torr ent of fi 4 was observed, which took a serpentine et' arse over the surface of the old volcanic lava exten'. iqg from Licatia to Lotto-dell-Aqua. This t°l :, rent of fire, whi c h b a d th e app earance o f new 16c issuing from ,the sides of the mountain, I tutted for some minutes the whole adiace° country. " We learn from Genoa, that several shock!. of earthquakes were felt in the Appenines, i• o f :4, about the same time that Sicily felt the.egts this terrible scourge." Letters.received this morning from Ptcrtti ollll that the Duke of WELLINGTON is expected to be in London on Tuesday next. Re - forts are als o mentioned that the Army of Occupation Will is back in the Autumn, and that the British ;WTI are to garrison Courtray, Tournay, and other f°l - in the Netherlands. This morning, at the Stock Exchange, tb e Commissioners for the Reduction of the Nat iO no,l Debt were served with Stock (90,0001. Consols) at 80k. Both Houses of Parliament met yesterday pur suant to adjournment. In the House of Lora ; the Earl of LAU DERDALE , a d ver ti ng t o a notice Of motion respecting the general currency, or c irca ; lating medium, e x p resse d a w i s h t o b e inform ed by the First Lord of the Treasury, whether til erg was any truth in the reports which had lately been circulated of an intention on.the p art ° Government to propose a plan of Finance for the consideration of Parliament, a prominent feature the Mit Pt; 4il 44) I tHO tihtit 'tt9 ! ~°~►i